


Goodbyes Aren't For Forever

by stars_are_eternal



Series: Whumptober Collection 2020 [7]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Goodbyes, U.S. Navy SEALs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26918341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stars_are_eternal/pseuds/stars_are_eternal
Summary: Day 8 prompt for Whumptober: don't say goodbyeJunior is once again called from USNR into active duty for an op that's supposed to last for three weeks, and Tani, fearing the worst, doesn't want him to go.
Relationships: Junior Reigns/Tani Rey
Series: Whumptober Collection 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948726
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Goodbyes Aren't For Forever

Being part of the USNR meant that Junior could be pulled back into active duty at any given time, whenever the Navy had the need for him to go on one of the other operation. While Junior knew that and was fine with it – after all, he knew what exactly he was signing up for, what it meant to be in the Navy and what it meant to be in USNR. Tani, however, was incredibly anxious about it, because she knew what consequences Junior leaving could have, and she really, really wasn’t ready for Naval officers to knock on her door, stating that he had fallen during in op and that he wouldn’t be coming back. She experienced it already once with him, when he was first called into active duty, and she remembered how antsy, nervous and scared she was, especially since she woke up to him being gone and only a note being left that explained everything to her.

This time, it was slightly different, her and Junior were living together now, talked about such huge things, but that didn’t ease her into it any less. Driven by fear, right on the day when Junior was supposed to leave even, while he was packing, Tani, in her panic, tried to do the one thing she had left, and that was begging him to stay.

“Please, don’t go.”

“Tani, we’ve been over this already. I have to.” Junior replied and continued throwing the last few essentials he needed into the bag, which in turn prompted Tani to grab the bag and hide it behind her back.

“Call them and tell them you’re sick.”

“That’s not how things work.”

“But they might, if you try.”

“Tani, give me the bag.”

“No!”

She sounded like an incredibly clingy girlfriend, the sort that drove one up the wall and had them leave instantly. She didn’t want to sound like that, that was never her intention, but at the same time, Tani wouldn’t just stand there and watch as her boyfriend potentially left to meet his death. She had been through that so many times when her dad was still alive, when her and Koa were traveling around the world with him. Base after base, op after op, mission after mission. For fifteen years, before Kawika was honourably discharged from the army, Tani worried every single day about him. The siblings had to grow up without without a mother, Tani had to grow up before it was her time to grow up, but the heart-gripping fear of possibly losing her dad in one of those missions was always there. Even after they returned to Honolulu, there wasn’t a day where she didn’t fear that the consequences of being in the army for such a long time wouldn’t eventually catch up to him, and they did, not even two years ago. And now the very same situation happened, and Tani didn’t know how else to react.

Junior simply sighed and slowly moved past the bed and towards her, holding his hands out and gently placing them on Tani’s upper arms, lightly moving them up and down to comfort her before pulling her into a hug. “It’ll be fine.”

“That’s what they always say, and it never is!” Tani protested.

“I won’t be involved in any danger. Just routine ops, completely harmless.”

“Then why are you leaving for three weeks?”

“That’s how long they need me for. I’m back home in three weeks. It’ll be fine.”

Tani softly shook her head. “I’m an army brat, I’ve lived in army bases half my life. You can’t tell me everything will be okay when I know it won’t. I’ve seen my share of horror. I worried about my dad every single day! I don’t want you to go, Junior.”

“And I’m a SEAL, my dad was in the Navy as well. Things don’t always have to be bad every single time!”

Tani finally gave in, tears forming in her eyes as she let go of the bag, which landed on the floor with a soft thud, and hid her face in his chest, hands clutching to his shirt. “I don’t want to lose you.” It was a soft whisper, barely audible, but it still had Junior smile and hug her tighter. She worried, she worried so much that it was adorable and heart-warming at the same time.

“You won’t lose me. I’ll be back before you’ll know it.”

It took Tani a few moments to calm down, to, at least somewhat, come to terms with the fact that Junior was leaving and that there was no way she would talk him out of it. They were both very stubborn, and it showed, though they also needed healthy dialogue to keep things working between them without any of them hiding things from one another.

Junior took his bag and once more placed it on the bed to finish packing. Two or three more things and he was done, and in the time he finished packing, he noticed Tani disappearing, only to come back with his jacket. She looked like she was ready to go as well, which surprised him, but he very much appreciated it.

“You’re coming with me to the airport?”

“As if I’d let you leave just like that,” she commented. She wanted to come, no matter how hard it would be to watch him leave, even if it was temporarily, just a few weeks.

They drove to Kalaeloa Airport, where his team was already gathered and waiting for him. They were goofing around, like they usually did. Nobody was all too serious except for the lieutenant commander, but he almost expected that. Junior hoped that the good atmosphere displayed there would ease Tani into believing that everything would be fine, just like he told her it would be. They got out of the car, Junior going to grab his bag and greet his fellow team members, before dropping the bag off in the airplane. “Just one moment,” he told the leading officer and got an affirmative nod from the older man. Junior went back to Tani to hug and kiss her.

“I’ll think about you every day. And I’ll get in touch whenever I can.” He promised with a small smile.

“You better,” Tani replied, softly placing a quick kiss on his lips, though tears still came.

“Hey…”

“Please, come back to me, okay? In one piece. Promise me, Junes. Promise.”

“I promise. I’ll be back before you even know it.”

“You better.”

“Reigns!” The leading officer called for him.

Junior smiled and kissed her one more time. “I gotta go.”

“Be careful! I… I love you.” It was the very first time she told him that out loud, in public as well.

“I love you, too,” he whispered as a reply, kissing her one more time. “Remember, this isn’t for forever.”

“Reigns!”

Tani chuckled through her tears. “Go, before you get in trouble. I’ll see you soon.”


End file.
